Prepare yourselves, readers -- leaving Netflix in September are a whole host more of Fox TV shows, due to their affiliate agreement with Hulu going into effect. They’ve slowly been implementing it for the past six months, removing shows like American Dad, Bob’s Burgers, and all of Joss Whedon’s creations. A number of TV comedies and family-friendly films are also getting pulled, including two Lego films and two Disney films.
And it looks like Disney is wasting no time at all removing their content, choosing less popular films like Lilo & Stitch and The Emperor’s New Groove to begin their purge from Netflix. Their choice to remove their content from the streaming service was only announced a few weeks ago. They, like so many other networks and studios these days, are creating their own streaming service, meaning you’ll have to dish out yet another subscription fee to view their content.
At this rate, we’ll all go back to the cable format in ten years, because everyone will have had enough of these subscription based streaming services nickel and diming us (just like the cable companies). There is such a thing as too much of a good thing, you know. Anyway, enough of the ranting; check out the The Best Movies and TV Shows Leaving Netflix in September.
The Batman
While not as popular as some of its animated predecessors, The Batman nevertheless has its merits. It strayed away from the previous incarnations of Batman in both look and casting choices, instead favoring a more graphic, Japanese-style of animation created by Jeff Matsuda. Obviously targeted at kids who were attracted to a bold, colorful style, those who grew up with the show look back on it fondly as their first introduction to Batman on TV.
The Dark Knight is in the early stages of his career here, facing off against familiar villains like The Joker and The Penguin. In hindsight, The Lego Batman Movie probably took a lot of inspiration from this particular series, as there are a lot of overly dramatic moments that work well for kids, but not necessarily adults. It’s a straight up cartoon, not a comic book show, and thus might not hold up as well as say Batman: The Animated Series of even Batman Beyond. Nevertheless, it's still the Caped Crusader, and there are homages to the original 1966 version, first played on TV by Adam West, with West even providing the voice for Mayor Grange on the show.
Jackass: The Movie
Remember when MTV was actually still good and Jackass was on TV? Well, you can relive all those shopping cart filled memories for another week by watching Jackass: The Movie before it leaves Netflix.
Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O and the gang came up with eighty-four minutes of ridiculous stunts and pranks for their first feature film. Just like in the show, the film is broken up into segments highlighting each crazy scenario (often with reactions from passersby or the target of the prank). There’s everything from minor stuff like giving each other paper cuts between their fingers and toes to shoplifting dressed like an old man to pole vaulting into the ocean. They’re brave, we’ll give them that; brave but stupid.
The Emperor’s New Groove
A highly underrated Disney film, The Emperor’s New Groove stars David Spade as the voice of Kuzco, a self-involved emperor whose ego eventually gets the best of him. His former advisor, Yzma, turns him into a llama (although she means to kill him) in her power hungry quest for the throne. A lot of silly hijinks follow as Kuzco tries to regain his throne and Yzma and her dense henchman, Kronk, try to catch him.
In fact, the dynamic between Yzma and Kronk are some of the best parts of the film, although Kronk often steals the show. A direct-to-video sequel, Kronk’s New Groove, was released a few years later due to his popularity. With the voices of John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, and Patrick Warburton, The Emperor’s New Groove is a worthy addition to your queue -- and, sadly, only the beginning of the Disney mass exodus from Netflix.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
The famous Wes Craven slasher film A Nightmare on Elm Street introduced the world to one of the scariest movie monsters ever—Freddie Kreuger. It was also Johnny Depp’s film debut, playing a terrorized teenagers tormented by Freddie. If you had trouble going to sleep after watching horror films before, watching this film certainly won't help.
A Nightmare on Elm Street poses the questions, “What if your nightmares were more than just dreams? What if they could actually hurt you?” Although the film has become pretty dated, at least in appearance, its gore and jump scares remain genuinely horrifying. Robert Englund’s performance as Freddy Kreuger also can’t be missed, especially considering the film and its sequels turned him into a legend within the horror community.
Terra Nova: Season 1
It’s hard to believe Terra Nova only lasted for one season on Fox. The Steven Spielberg produced show received a Critic’s Choice Award for Most Exciting New Series, and reviews were mostly positive for the majority of its duration. Still, the show had a lot going on: a dystopian future, time travel to the Cretaceous period, dinosaurs, warring factions. Taken on their own, all of those elements would certainly make for interesting shows, but somehow, Terra Nova managed to make them all work together.
However, at a price tab of $4 million an episode, it was pretty expensive for a network TV show. Definitely put this one at the top of your queue if you missed it while it was on the air, although feel free to skip the middle episodes if you’re short on time. It definitely lags for a while there.
Last Man Standing: Seasons 1-5
Tim Allen’s latest endeavor, Last Man Standing, was a popular, but controversial show that only recently got axed. Allen (a conservative in real life), also played one on the show, and many fans blamed the series' cancellation on Allen’s continuously vocal support of Donald Trump.
Despite the actual politics involved, the show is a bit like a live action American Dad, but without the parody aspect. It’s still funny, but mainly because of the scenarios, conflicts, and personalities of the characters. Like American Dad, the parents have conservative-type jobs and the kids are a mixed bag—one liberal, one conservative, and one apathetic. It’s a traditional family sitcom, which Allen excels at and makes his own. Home Improvement fans will also enjoy the cameos from Patricia Richardson and Jonathan Taylor Thomas, his beloved former co-stars on the series that made him a star.
If you're going to miss Last Man Standing a bit too much for your liking, fear not: all six of its seasons will be available on Hulu come September.
Tears of the Sun
While not a critical success, Tears of the Sun was still generally liked by audiences who saw it. Put Bruce Willis in a war movie, or any action film for that matter, and his diehard (see what we did there) fans will flock to see it.
Puns aside, Tears of the Sun does manage to entertain in much of the same ways as Willis’ other war movies—helicopters, rescue missions, violent shootouts, and Willis leading the pack with a strong sense of righteousness. To be fair, there is a bit of a white savior mentality going on, but the rebels did kill their president and brutalize civilians, which seems like as good a reason as any for a pack of Navy SEALS to go after them and rescue some refugees.
Army Wives: Seasons 1-7
Army Wives is one of those guilty pleasure shows you’d never readily admit to watching, but can easily suck you in for a marathon binge session. Although it’s considered a Lifetime show, don’t let that dispel you from giving it a chance. Gone are the days of awful cheesy content that feels like a continuous PSA. Lifetime’s scripted content has only been getting better.
While obviously the premise resonates well with actual Army wives and their families, it’s an interesting scenario to watch even for an outsider. Like Desperate Housewives, there’s tons of drama and chaos that unfolds as the show progresses, but the characters have much more realistic problems. What’s best about this series, though, is how it emphasizes the friendships between the women. They’re constantly helping and supporting each other, since they’re all in the same boat. We need more content like that.
Frailty
The directorial debut of Bill Paxton (RIP), Frailty is part religious thriller, part murder mystery. Matthew McConaughey plays the creepy Fenton Malks, who recounts an incredible story about his dad and brother, to an FBI agent. The father, played by Paxton, claimed that an angel visited him and tasked him with destroying servants of the devil disguised as humans—namely, those who had committed horrific crimes. As such, the two brothers are forced to help their father with the murders, although one of them is not a believer in their supposed “hand of god” responsibility.
It’s a well done film with a twist ending and excellent performances by the main cast. Frailty currently holds a rating of 73% on Rotten Tomatoes and is generally regarded as a highly underrated horror-thriller.
Something’s Gotta Give
Okay, so even though Something’s Gotta Give’s target audience probably has a membership to AARP, it doesn’t mean us younger folk can’t enjoy it too. Always the charmer, Jack Nicholson stars as a swinger who likes younger women, but finds himself embroiled in a double love triangle with one of his girlfriend’s mothers.
Diane Keaton won a Golden Globe for her performance as Erica, Nicholson’s older woman love interest, and it’s easy to see why. Her character experiences a reawakening of sorts, which leaves her with many conflicting emotions. One of the best scenes is a crying sequence where she just comically bawls her eyes out while on the phone and then typing her screenplay. Both her and Nicholson have a great sense of comedic timing in this film, and oh yeah, Keanu Reeves was even kinda funny too.
Wilfred: Seasons 1-2
A remake of the Australian series of the same name, Wilfred tells the wacky story of a man who sees his neighbor’s dog a little differently. To Ryan (played by Elijah Wood), Wilfred appears as a man wearing a scruffy dog suit, not a small, cuddly animal. Throughout the course of the show, Wilfred does all the things you’d expect from a dog, but which seem super creepy and insane when an Australian guy dressed like a dog does them.
For all its quirks, the show has a lot of heart, as Wilfred often gives Ryan genuine advice when he’s not smoking him out or humping his Bear. Seasons one and two are leaving Netflix, so catch them while you can, although all four seasons are currently available on Hulu as well.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tim Burton’s take on the Stephen Sondheim musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, will sadly depart Netflix on September 1st. As is the case with so many of his films, both Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter have starring roles. For anyone who has seen Penny Dreadful, this film was also written by that series' creator John Logan, and he does the gothic, Victorian setting justice here as well. If you’ve never had the pleasure of seeing the musical, the film is a condensed version of a gloriously macabre revenge story.
Depp plays the deadly barber, Sweeney Todd, who does more than shave his unlucky customers. Carter is his partner and the owner of the meat pie shop below his own establishment, whose unrequited love for him drives her to do whatever it takes to keep him there. Sacha Baron Cohen, Timothy Spall, and Alan Rickman are also just as brilliant, with memorable performances by all. In short, it’s a surprisingly good film considering some of Burton’s other duds, and one which definitely demands a watch.
Lilo & Stitch
Not your typical Disney film, Lilo & Stitch often gets overlooked in favor of the more popular Disney princess films. Maybe it’s because of the over exaggerated characterizations of Hawaiians, or the fact that it’s about a little girl who mistakes a blue alien for a dog. Whatever the reason, those people are missing out on a genuinely heart-warming Disney classic.
Nevertheless, Lilo & Stitch is really weird—but, that’s the point. Lilo is a little girl who’s different from the other kids, not only because she’s an orphan, but because of her interests. She loves Elvis Presley and carries around a creepy rag doll; she's an eccentric who is ostracized for her differences. Stitch is misunderstood as well, having been created to wreak chaos, but ultimately desiring love and a family just like Lilo does. If you want to watch an animated film that’s quirky and entertaining, catch it before it leaves Netflix on September 5th; you won’t be disappointed.
Scream
The first film in Wes Craven’s smash hit franchise, Scream leaves Netflix behind on September 1st. It’s '90s teen horror at its best, starring Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, the central target of the masked killer’s murders. If you’ve never seen it, the identity of the murderer (and their motive) will have you guessing until the very end.
Along with Campbell, it also stars David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, Rose Mcgowan, Skeet Ulrich, and Drew Barrymore—launching many of their careers and restoring a few others. Scream was unique for its time not only for its self-awareness and black comedy, but for how it combined a genuine murder mystery with slasher film gore. Ironically, it was originally titled Scary Movie, which eventually became the name of the parody films produced by the Wayans brothers.
CSI: Miami: Seasons 1-10
Once called “the most popular show in the world” by BBC, CSI: Miami aired for ten seasons on CBS before its cancellation in 2012. A successful spinoff from the original CSI, the Miami version starred David Caruso and Emily Procter as detectives who head up a team of forensics experts in the Miami-Dade Police Department.
CSI: Miami follows the same police procedural format as the original series, often dealing with gruesome murder mysteries that the characters have to unravel together. However, it’s a standout show on its own, and some CSI fans swear it’s better than the original due to its distinct look and, ultimately, David Caruso’s Horatio Caine character. You might not be able to watch all ten seasons before it leaves Netflix next month, but if you’re already a CSI fan, shouldn’t you see for yourself if it lives up to all the hype?
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Which of these series just shot to the top of your Netflix queue? Let us know in the comments.